A small plane attempting to land crashed at the south end of the Kirksville Regional Airport runway early Monday afternoon, with one minor injury reported.

Kirksville Regional Airport Director David Hall said the pilot lost control of the plane while landing, likely causing the front landing gear to break. The plane skidded off the end of the runway into a grassy area.

The single-engine Piper Cherokee PA28140 was piloted by Ted Bower, of Lee's Summit. Hall said it was his understanding Bower was attempting to complete a solo flight from Lee's Summit to Kirksville.

Bower sustained minor injuries and was transported to Northeast Regional Medical Center by Adair County Ambulance. Bower was treated and released.

The aircraft sustained minor damage, Hall said, and the airport runway was closed for one hour. The closure did not affect Cape Air's flight schedule, Hall said.

Emergency responders were dispatched around 12:20 p.m.

Hall said the Federal Aviation Administration was in contact with the airport to obtain information about the crash. He said it was likely the FAA would categorize the event as an "incident" instead of an "accident" due to the minor damage to the plane.